Automatic cork-puller



(No Model.)

B. D. MIDDLBKAUFF.

AUTOMATIC CORK FULLER.

No. 427,099. Patented May 6, 1890.

wi/tnwoelo gwuautoz I 1 WWW the same, through line X X, Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLSIVORTH D. MIDDLEKAUFF, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC CORK-PULLER.

SIEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,099, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed August 21, 1889- Serial No. 321,544. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLSVVORTH D. ll/IIDDLE- KAUFF, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oork- Pullers; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in corkscrews which may be attached to a table and operated by turning a handle; and the novelty consists in the construction, arrangement, and adaptation of devices, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevationin position for use as attached to the counter or table. Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 3 is a detached view of the collar E and its pins E. Fig. 4: is a section of the tube B, through line X X, Fig. 2.

A represents the top of a counter or table, to which the arm I of the tube B is attached by screws or otherwise. The tube B contains a rod 0, having a handle 0' and a screw end C The head of the rod C rests upon a collar E within the tube, which collar E is secured in position by pins E, inserted through slots in the tube B and screwed into the collar E. A spiral spring F encircles the stem of the rod 0, its upper end impinging upon the collar E and its lower end upon a seat in the tube B. There is a window. H in the tube B opposite the screw 0 which enables the operator to see the position of the cork. Gage-figures E at the top of the tube B,near

one of its slots, show the amount of pressurerequired to extract a cork. Tapering lugs B, near the lower end of the tube B, prevent the cork from turning. A wire-puller D is attached to the surface of the tube B by a pin at a seat B This feature is shown .at rest in Fig. 1. A safety-cap G is screwed to the lower end of the tube B.

To operate the machine, the wire-puller D is reversed, so as to allow its hook end to extract the wire from the neck of the bottle. The 'cork is inserted within the cap G. The

rod 0, with its screw end 0 is turned by the handle 0, the pressure or force of the spring F drawing the cork from the bottle. Then by turning the rod 0 the reverse way the cork is ejected from the tube B.

The rod 0 and its handle 0 and screw end C may be easily removed from the tube B for thepurpose of repairs, cleansing, &c.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that I have a wire-puller consisting of a pivoted arm or lever having its outer end terminating in a hook, and that the said device when not in use may be turned out of the I way, as better shown in Fig. 1. .7

In this class of devices it has been found that the parts'have often become inoperative by the weakening of the spring in the tube. The spring being increased and no means employed of ascertaining its strength, the result has been that the apparatus became impaired to such an extent that its use has been continued, and in some cases the user has gone to the unnecessary expense of purchasing a new machine. Now, while it is not my intention to prolong the usefulness of the spring itself, yet by the employment of the constructionwhich I shall presently explain the condition of the spring is readily made known and the operator can see at a glance that the spring has become too weak to properly perform its function. To overcome the objections stated, I have slotted the tube and provided the graduated scale thereon. Thus it will be seen that when the spring has become too weak, as shown by the scale, it is simply necessary to remove the pins E, when the screw and collar E can 'be withdrawn and the spring taken out and replaced by another.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is The improved cork-extractor herein set forth, consisting of the bell B, having the internal tapering lugs B, stem O,with handle 0, auger C spring F, graduated scale E and pointer or index E, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 

